Sprint, the nation's third-largest long-distance company, is teaming up with a government agency and one of the industry's leading critics to develop a program that would teach new Asian and Latino residents how to use the telephone. Sprint will finance the effort, which includes a $35,000 contribution for San Francisco-based Consumer Action to develop and distribute fact sheets on such topics as using 911 and how to protect yourself against telephone fraud.

A consumer group is turning the tables on banks' chief complaint against credit unions, saying bankers receive far more in federal subsidies than their nonprofit rivals. The study, to be released today by San Francisco's Consumer Action, contends banks receive two to five times as much in federal benefits as credit unions, even after adjusting for banks' far greater asset size.

Lower-rate credit cards have become scarcer for Californians than a year ago, a consumer group has found. In a survey to be released today, Consumer Action in San Francisco found that only 16 cards with annual percentage rates of 16% or less were made available to Californians by out-of-state financial institutions. That was down from 27 cards a year earlier.

A California consumer action group is urging concert-goers to reject a proposed settlement to a 1992 antitrust class-action lawsuit against Ticketmaster, claiming the pact does nothing to address the escalating cost of ticket service fees. Under the terms of the settlement, Ticketmaster and Bay Area Seating Service Inc. (BASS) acknowledge no fault, liability or wrongdoing, but are required to give away an estimated $1.5 million in tickets to charitable organizations.

A San Francisco-based consumer group charged Tuesday that US Sprint used "misleading and deceptive advertising" in claiming that AT&T customers pay "up to 50% more" for long-distance telephone service than do Sprint customers. The group, Consumer Action, took issue with statements contained in brochures mailed last month to prospective customers.

Advertised pay-per-call "900" phone information numbers often employ deceptive marketing tactics and ultimately cost consumers more than expected while providing less information, according to a national survey of 144 such phone lines to be released today.

Shopping around for low-interest credit cards now that you can't write off card-interest debt on your federal income taxes? You'll have to hunt harder this year for bargain rate cards. There are still some bank cards in the 14% to 16% bracket available--the national average rate for all credit cards, including department stores, is 18.8%--and diligence in searching for such cards can pay off, banking advisers insist.

A consumer group is turning the tables on banks' chief complaint against credit unions, saying bankers receive far more in federal subsidies than their nonprofit rivals. The study, to be released today by San Francisco's Consumer Action, contends banks receive two to five times as much in federal benefits as credit unions, even after adjusting for banks' far greater asset size.

Low-interest-rate bank credit cards are becoming more difficult to locate, according to a survey to be released today by Consumer Action, a San Francisco group. Out of the 59 banks, thrifts and credit unions that Consumer Action surveyed, only three California institutions offered credit cards with rates at or below 16%, down from nine two years ago. And this year the consumer group was able to find only nine out-of-state companies offering low-rate cards, compared to 20 in 1987.

A California consumer action group is urging concert-goers to reject a proposed settlement to a 1992 antitrust class-action lawsuit against Ticketmaster, claiming the pact does nothing to address the escalating cost of ticket service fees. Under the terms of the settlement, Ticketmaster and Bay Area Seating Service Inc. (BASS) acknowledge no fault, liability or wrongdoing, but are required to give away an estimated $1.5 million in tickets to charitable organizations.

Sprint, the nation's third-largest long-distance company, is teaming up with a government agency and one of the industry's leading critics to develop a program that would teach new Asian and Latino residents how to use the telephone. Sprint will finance the effort, which includes a $35,000 contribution for San Francisco-based Consumer Action to develop and distribute fact sheets on such topics as using 911 and how to protect yourself against telephone fraud.

Shopping around for low-interest credit cards now that you can't write off card-interest debt on your federal income taxes? You'll have to hunt harder this year for bargain rate cards. There are still some bank cards in the 14% to 16% bracket available--the national average rate for all credit cards, including department stores, is 18.8%--and diligence in searching for such cards can pay off, banking advisers insist.

Low-interest-rate bank credit cards are becoming more difficult to locate, according to a survey to be released today by Consumer Action, a San Francisco group. Out of the 59 banks, thrifts and credit unions that Consumer Action surveyed, only three California institutions offered credit cards with rates at or below 16%, down from nine two years ago. And this year the consumer group was able to find only nine out-of-state companies offering low-rate cards, compared to 20 in 1987.

Advertised pay-per-call "900" phone information numbers often employ deceptive marketing tactics and ultimately cost consumers more than expected while providing less information, according to a national survey of 144 such phone lines to be released today.

Lower-rate credit cards have become scarcer for Californians than a year ago, a consumer group has found. In a survey to be released today, Consumer Action in San Francisco found that only 16 cards with annual percentage rates of 16% or less were made available to Californians by out-of-state financial institutions. That was down from 27 cards a year earlier.

A San Francisco-based consumer group charged Tuesday that US Sprint used "misleading and deceptive advertising" in claiming that AT&T customers pay "up to 50% more" for long-distance telephone service than do Sprint customers. The group, Consumer Action, took issue with statements contained in brochures mailed last month to prospective customers.